The Boy Is Strange
by For Esme
Summary: Nearly 5 years later, I've finally finished this story. A short, fluffy story originally started as a one shot song fic. SpotOC.
1. Default Chapter

I don't own Newsies therefore I don't own Spot. The song is by Melissa Etheridge. Thank you for not suing me.

I've done it folks, started a fic and finished. Granted, this is very short, so it may not even count.

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Three months. Three months with one girl, a task that seemed impossible for Spot Conlon. In fact, it was. I'm not stupid, I know there are others, but it's me he returns to every night, it's me that wakes up in his arms every morning. It's hard to even find _that_ on the streets of New York, I'm one of the lucky ones. Sure it was indecent, but almost everything about how I lived was. I was deemed an outcast the moment my mother set foot in New York with no husband and a pregnant belly that extended for miles, so what was a little indecency? 

**__**

…and he's seen with all the women who think that he's a god and he blesses whom he pleases holding fast to the façade… 

I had awaken to find myself alone in our bed, nothing new, he always left before I woke up. The bed was always cold when he left, further incentive for me to get up and get ready for work. I had a cushy job compared to most, I was employed by a seamstress not far from the old dilapidated wharf house where Spot and his band of miscreants had taken refuge for the time being.

My day was long, the mayor's daughter was turning of age and her coming out ball was just around the corner. Every other high end snob and their cousin came into the shop demanding that their attire be the most exquisite and all of us girls were set to work posthaste. Not that we minded much, if our work was in fact as exquisite as they wanted, we'd be slipped a few extra nickels. 

I walked slowly back to the wharf, his wharf, Spot's wharf. Sure it belonged to the city but the city didn't matter on the streets. When I did finally step foot on the splintered boards I couldn't suppress a smile as I watched Spot animatedly retell a story from the day. He was so different with his boys compared to when he was with me. I watched him for a few brief moments before slipping into the wharf house, I wasn't wanted on the dock, I knew my place and kept my distance.

I put on a nightgown once I was safe inside our room. I took the pins from my hair and slowly began to brush the tangles out of it while I stared out the small window that looked out onto the wharf.

**__**

…looking from my tower I can see his fortress strong, surrounded by his army, where do I belong ? Does he ever find the answers In the cars as they go by? Does he ever want to ask me why? The boy feels strange …  


It wasn't long before he came inside, opening the door to our room and pulling his suspenders off to either side. I look towards him and offer a warm yet tired smile.

"How was your day Spot?" I ask the same thing every evening.

"Business as usual." His normal reply before he removes his shoes and his over clothes and gets into bed.

**__**

…and he speaks to me of business when I ask him how he's been, keeps me at a distance never getting under skin…

"Spot…" I roll on my side so we are face to face. "Why me?" I ask.

He stares at me for a few moments before kissing my nose and replying, "You're talking gibberish, go to sleep baby doll."

"Please answer me." I almost plead. "Why is it me that you come home to every night?"

"Well…" he trailed off with an odd amount of emotion showing in his face.

**__**

…and he looks at me in wonder and he looks at me in fear, wrestling with his anger, his pride and stony tears, to place me in his life will be hard and slow, does he want it? need it? …

"…I guess it's 'cos I love you." He simply said, pulling me closer to him and shortly after, succumbing to sleep.

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Reviews are a many splendid thing…and good karma.


	2. chapter two

I definitely wasn't expecting him to say that. I knew he cared for me, but love was another issue. Love was an entire new galaxy that I had yet to discover and here he was offering it to me. I replayed his words in my head a few times before succumbing to sleep as well.

****

I awoke unusually early the next morning. For the first time in weeks I woke up to a warm bed. Spot lay sleeping beside me, his breathing slow and rhythmic. I gently crept out of bed, after a few moments of basking in it's comfort, and quietly dressed. I combed my hair quickly, before pulling it into a tight bun. He stirred slightly but didn't wake as I crept out of our room and into the damp morning.

The fog was thick and covered the wharf, making the morning eerie and mysterious. The damp air sent a chill through me causing me to wrap my shawl tighter around my body. I was always good at scaring myself and this morning was no different, the silence of the morning amplified every sound on the wharf and I found my heart pounding in my chest.

"G'morning miss." A street peddler called to me as I made my way to the street. I smiled politely, hoping he'd think it a sufficient reply. I turned left and quickly made my way to the shop. Sophia was always up before dawn and all of the girls knew they only needed to knock on the side street door to be let in before opening.

****

"Winnie!" Sophia exclaimed as she let me in. "You're never early."

"Well, we got a lot of orders and I figured I needed all the time I could get." I answered, averting my eyes.

"Can't say I've heard that one before." She laughed quietly. "Most of you girls only come in early so you can leave early."

I laughed along with her as I gathered up the gown I had been working on the previous day. I was lucky to work for a woman like Sophia. She was fair, unlike the majority of the city. 

"Sophia, can I ask you a womanly question?"

"Of course, what is it dear?" She looked up at me with concern.

"I, uh.." I hesitated briefly. "I havn't gotten my monthly bill since February. Am I alright?" Growing up with little motherly advice, I had come to rely on Sophia for guidance. 

"Oh dear." She said quietly, obviously mulling over what she should say. "Winnie, you and that boy of yours…" she paused, "…have you two…" she paused again, this time raising her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

Catching what she was talking about I was unsure of how to answer, I didn't know how this even related to what I had asked but I figured I shouldn't lie to her. 

"Yes." I answered nearly inaudibly. 

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that."

"Why, what's the matter me with?" I began to panic slightly.

"Dear, I think you might be…" She hesitated, trying to find the gentlest way to say what she had to. "…I think you might be with child."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So, it's been years. I signed into and saw this unfinished and it's been irking me. I can't even remember my original idea for it anymore, but instead of sleeping, I decided to write a conclusion. I hope there's still interest in it, my writing has matured with time and I've become more of a sap. This is the fluffiest thing I've ever written. Maybe one day I'll fix all the mistakes, but for now, just enjoy.**

Well, I wasn't expecting that. Sure I knew where babies came from, but I had yet to realize the possible consequences to my moments of passion with Spot. "What do I do?" I asked, staring blankly at the yards of fabric in my hands.

"You get rid of it," Sophia replied simply, unmoved when I looked up at her in shock. "You can't have a baby, you're practically a baby yourself," I stared at her in disbelief. You could just get rid of them? There had to be more to this, if you could just get rid of unwanted babies there wouldn't be nearly as many orphans as there were. "Don't you look at me like that. You can't afford it, you don't have a proper home and as soon as that boy finds out he'll run…"

"No," I shook my head, "I know I can't have a child. I didn't know I could, you know, get rid of it though."

"Oh bella," she sighed, looking at me with a sincerity that seemed almost condescending. "It's not easy," she continued quietly, "you're not too far along, the herbs should do the deed. Come with me after work and I will help you."

"Does it hurt?" I asked.

"If it works," she nodded curtly. "It reminds you to never get yourself in that situation again."

Nodding, I silently went back to my work and stayed that way for the remainder of the day. I thought about Sophia's words, that I was too young and too poor to have a baby. I agreed with her, but could she be right about Spot? Would he leave as soon as he found out? I quickly decided I couldn't take that chance. I would go with Sophia, I would do what I had to in order to remedy this situation and Spot would be none the wiser. He took care of me; he loved me and was the first person to do so in many years, I couldn't bear to be without him.

By the time Sophia locked up the store and we headed out I felt as though I had been awake for days. My head was pounding and my heart was racing as she led me to a basement shop, well out of the way. She conversed quietly with an Asian woman behind the counter before being presented with a small tin in exchange for fabric Sophia had brought along.

"Take with tea," the woman instructed simply. "Half in night, rest in morning, done by afternoon."

With one final look, we left and rejoined the bustle of the evening streets. Neither of us spoke until we stood in front of the tenement Sophia shared with her husband and 3 children.

"Here," she placed the tin in my hand, wrapping my fingers around it. "You have four days; I don't want to see you until Tuesday."

"I can't afford that," I replied quickly.

"You'll do as I say," she replied sternly, placing a few dollars in the pocket of my skirt. "I will only do this once, do you hear me?"

"Yes ma'am," I told her gratefully before we parted and I returned to the pier.

Spot was already there, standing firm at the end of the dock listening intently to what a younger boy was telling him. He eyed me as I walked past and I knew I'd catch hell for being late when he came to bed. It didn't bother me, I liked that he cared enough to worry.

Entering our room, all I could think about was sleep. I would deal with my emotions in the morning. I quickly disrobed, draping my skirt and blouse over the small wooden chair as I usually did before brushing out my hair and climbing into bed. The money and tin were secure in my skirt pocket and I had every intention of keeping them there until I could deal with things rationally.

I awoke a few hours later to Spot entering and slamming the door behind him. "You were late," he raged. "You weren't here when I woke up, then you were late," he crossed the room and stood inches from my face, his jaw clenched and look unreadable. I'd seen that look before, he used it with his boys quite often and it usually was followed by either a swift punch or a shove to the side.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake you," I replied, unsure and barely above a whisper.

"I had half 'a Brooklyn lookin' for you," he grabbed my shoulders and his look softened. "You can't do that to me, Win'. You can't leave me like that."

My heart raced at his words. He needed me as much as I needed him. Before I could even think, I had grabbed the sides of his face and kissed him as though my life depended on it. Pulling him down onto the bed, I undid the buttons and pushed down his pants as his hand slid up my thigh and under my night slip. We made love for the first time; it was no longer just passionate lust. I fell asleep shortly after, all thoughts of prior events erased from my mind.

I woke up the next morning to an empty bed and the sun shining brightly into the room. I guessed it to be near noon, seeing as the sun was positioned directly in my eyes. I got out from under the covers and walked to the window, staring out at the pier below. It was empty and I was grateful for the solitude. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before reaching for my skirt and into the pocket. The tin was gone.

Frantically, I flipped the pocket inside out, but the tin still didn't appear. I dropped to my knees, hoping it had fallen out when I changed and was hiding under something. I didn't hear Spot come in until he spoke, causing me to jump.

"Were you going to tell me?" he asked calmly.

"What?" I stood quickly, wiping the dirt from my knees.

He said nothing in reply, simply handed me back the tin and stared.

"How'd you find out?" my heart dropped into my stomach.

"Smalls followed you to Chinatown last night. There's only a couple reasons for going to Chinatown, Winnie," he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You went through my things," I said weakly, regretting it when I saw the look he sent me.

"Imagine my surprise when I bring it back to that China woman today and she tells me it's for fixing unwanted situations."

"I'm sorry, Spot," looking to the floor I couldn't think of anything else to say. Neither of us said a word for what seemed like an eternity.

"Was it mine?" he finally asked, with a sincerity I had never thought possible from him.

"I've been nothing but faithful to you," I reassured, "It's yours."

"You mean…?"

"How could I? You've had the tin all day," I said simply, sitting on the edge of the bed as I started to feel lightheaded.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he sat next to me.

"She said you'd leave me," I turned my head to look at him. "I need you like I need to breath. I was afraid." Never had I been so forthcoming with him, but in this moment I had nothing to lose.

"Who said that?" he asked angrily and turned quickly to grab my hands.

"That's not important," I looked at him, raised his hands to my lips and kissed them. "I love you," I whispered, hanging my head.

"I've been waiting for you to say it back," Spot pulled his hands from mine and lifted my chin with a bent index finger. "You never said it back the other night," he further explained when he saw my look of confusion. "Winnie, I'm gonna make an honest woman outta you. We'll have this kid and maybe a couple more…"

"I can't ask that of you," I interrupted him, all too certain that he was saying it for my own benefit.

"You ain't askin' nothing of me," he reminded her. "We're gonna be a family, end of story," he waved his hand as if it were final.

"You're sure you want this?" I asked quietly, as if saying it any louder would make him change his mind.

"Never been surer," he leaned his forehead against mine.

"You know I'm going to get fat, right?" I smirked slightly.

"I always wanted to try a fat broad," he teased, rubbing his hand over my stomach. "I'm happy," he informed me.

"Me too."


End file.
